Emotional reunion for Ethiopian-Eritrean families as the state of war ends

The burden of Ethio-Eritrea conflict was heavy on some families. Families have lost loved ones as more than 80,000 people were killed on both sides during the two years war. But there were also families who were condemned to live separately until the rapprochement initiated by the prime minister Abiy Ahmed brought about peace between the two countries after twenty good years of stalemate.

Husband and wife were separated. Children and parents were separated. It happened after Meles Zenawi’s government decided to deport Eritreans who happened to vote for the independence of Eritrea following the breakout of war between the two countries.

Addis Alem Hadgu has been working as a journalist for over twenty years with what used to be Ethiopian television, now Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC). His wife was apparently deported to Eritrea along with three children whom Addis Alem Hadgu never saw fore more than 16 years.

He traveled to Asmara today on board of the first Ethiopian Airlines commercial flight ET0312 in twenty years which was carrying 465 VIP passengers including former prime minister Hailemariam Desalegne, Ethiopian Orthodox Church Patriarch – Abune Mathias – among others. And he finally met his daughters in Asmara. Recounting horrendous experiences of the last twenty years, he thanked God for the decision the leaders of the two countries took.

Semhar has been separated from his mother and she was eagerly awaiting her mother, Woizero Alganesh, at Bole International Airport. When they meet were hugging and in tears as two little ones, Alganesh’s grand kids, watch them.

“It has been twenty years since we separated. I never thought that we would meet again,” Semhar, who has been living in Ethiopia, told Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation journalist.